GCDFund and IFDH Social Responsibility Award Winners

Recently the winners of our Social Responsibility Award were announced. This award is jointly run by the GCDFund and the International Federation of Dental Hygienists. It recognises hygienists and student hygienists who participate in a volunteering project which benefits disadvantaged children, mainly, but not exclusively, in low and middle-income countries.

1st Place
Cathryn Carboon
Sun Smiles 
Australia

The Carevan Foundation, a non-government, not-for-profit organization founded by Dr John Brabant, launched the Sun Smiles program in 2012 out of a growing concern for the oral health of children in Australia. Sun Smiles is an oral health promotion and fluoride varnish program, which has been developed and implemented by dental hygienist, Cathryn Carboon. Sun Smiles aims to improve oral health literacy, oral hygiene skills and access to preventive dental care to reduce the prevalence and severity of tooth decay for socially and economically disadvantaged primary school children in rural and urban Australia. The program is implemented using the World Health Organization’s Health Promoting Schools Framework, where the Sun Smiles team collaborate with primary schools to provide a supportive school environment, that empowers students and engages with parents to maximize student’s health and learning outcomes.

2nd Place
Bev Woods 
Gift from the Heart
Canada

The Gift from the Heart event is unique, as it allows the profession of “dental hygiene” to come together from every corner of our country in unity to work towards one common goal. On Saturday April 08, 2017, registered dental hygienists across Canada are opening their doors and their hearts to provide no-cost preventive dental hygiene services as part of a national campaign. For the ninth consecutive year, the “Gift from the Heart” event provides registered dental hygienists the opportunity to reach out to their communities and help members of the public who may be financially unable to afford oral healthcare or have difficulty accessing dental hygiene services. There are more than 100 participating offices all across Canada where the public can register to receive no-cost dental hygiene services. Last year, dental hygienists across Canada saw over 800 clients during the one-day event. In the past eight years it is estimated that dental hygienists across Canada have provided over ½ million dollars’ worth of dental hygiene services during the “Gift from the Heart” events.

3rd Place
Hitomi Arimatsu
Endless Mission 
Japan

As dental Hygienist, I have a strong obligation to educate and encourage oral care, in order to protect Vietnamese children from NCDs.